Thailand - Destination Weddings

Where in the world is Thailand!?

Luring keen travelers from all over the globe, the very heart of Indochina can only be Thailand. From the majestic mountains to the chaotic streets of Bangkok, Thailand is just a treasure trove of experiences waiting to unfold.

How many people live there?

With a population of 65 million, someone out there is bound to have what you are looking for whether it’s an adventure, long lasting memories or that perfect leather handbag - you will find it in Thailand.

The people of Thailand are renowned for their warm hospitality, and you will never forget the smiling faces of all the people who have made your holiday just that much better!

Language and religion?

Buddhism is the number one religion, hence the many temples (or Wats) and orange cladded monks, followed not even closely by but still present is Muslim and Hinduism. Thai is the nation’s mother language, although you will find English is widely spoken, even if its just a few simple words like “You buy! You buy!” But don’t worry, the Thai’s do understand “No!”

I can’t survive without my Hair Straightener!

That’s the cry of every woman known to the planet. Power points are the 2 flat pronged type or 2 round type prongs, both fit the socket. Voltage is 220 and 50 cycles. You will need an adaptor if you haven’t one already, purchase from the handy little shops at the airport, or if you’re a cheap skate, buy one when you get to Thailand! Be sure to check the power input rating. Some appliances will run on both 110 and 220 volts, the rating will be written on the appliance, e.g. "100~240V" meaning they will run on anything between 100 and 240 volts.

Duty free

200 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco is all you can take with you. For the drinkers you can carry 1 litre per adult.

Getting around

Bangkok will take patience although it is quite cheap, and choosing the right mode of transport for your destined place of interest is a bit tricky as there are plenty of ways to get around. The Bangkok Mass transit system called the Sky rail and Bangkok Subways are linked together and can take you to most places.

Taxis are cheap but make sure you negotiate a rate before jumping in, although taxi drivers are supposed to use a meter to record the distance, not all will, and you may just find your driver getting a little greedy if you do not negotiate a price beforehand. Driving yourself through Bangkok is not recommended although you are able to hire a car and driver for a day. A Tuk-Tuk is your best bet for transport, although these are sometime dangerous, they are the quickest mode of transport but do not get one for a long trip as you will end up quite dirty at the end! A pre-booked transfer to and from the airport are definitely worth it.

A necessary stop over in Bangkok for at least one full working day is needed to marry legally in Thailand.

An appointment is booked at the time of arranging your wedding with the Australian Embassy to get your statuary declaration information in Thai and to our ground operator in Bangkok for the translation and lodgement.

Legal information

I really like the idea of Thailand so is it possible to get married legally in Thailand?

Australian citizens wishing to marry in Thailand must first make an affirmation (or statutory declaration) of freedom to marry in person at the Australian Embassy in Bangkok. Here, they will be required to give particulars of their respective marital status, permanent address in Australia, occupation, income, references, etc. on a prescribed form. The couple is required to make their own way to the Australian embassy. This process is very simple and can easily be done by them.

In case either of the couple are divorced or widowed, an original Divorce Certificate or Death Certificate, as the case may be, is required as a supporting document at the Embassy. Females can not marry in Thailand if the wedding is to take place within 12 months of the divorce.

After making the affirmation (Statutory Declaration), the couples will need to have it translated into Thai for purposes of presentation to the Thai authorities concerned. This can be done by our offices in Bangkok.

Both the English version and the Thai version of the affirmation (statutory declaration) will then have to be presented to the appropriate authorities of the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs for authentication and certification. We will also arrange this.

The couples can now make registration of their marriage at any District Office in any province of Thailand by producing as supporting documents all of the above documentation as certified by the authorities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On granting the application for marriage, the District Officer will issue to the couple a Thai Marriage Certificate along with particulars of the registration (Marriage Register). We can arrange the Registrar to attend the ceremony at a charge. (approx THB10,000)

Wedding Destinations offices will then arrange the Thai Marriage certificate and Marriage Registration into English.

The English version of the Thai Marriage Certificate and Marriage Register will again have to be presented to the appropriate authorities of the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs for certification, so that couples may use it for legal purposes in Australia.

Wow – sounds complicated! Don’t worry this process is actually very easy as our offices will take care of all of this for them in Bangkok.

Day 1: The couple are to go to the Australian embassy and then they will go to the the Bangkok business & secretarial office.

Day 2: To get express service the couple have to be in person at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs . The legal documents will be ready on the same day (wait approximately 3-4 hours). You will go with a staff member from the Bangkok office.

You will need to stay in Bangkok for 1-2 nights to complete this process and then take the legal documents to your location with you (Koh Samui, Phuket etc).

The process can take up to 7 working days from when you lodge the paper work in Bangkok to when the wedding takes place. However, the couples need to be present only at the embassy on the day of making the statutory declaration and at the district office where they want to register their marriage (or they can come to the resort).

The Marriage Ceremony can take place either before or after registration of the marriage but the marriage is officially legal on the day of the signing at the district office.

The charge for this service is Thai Baht 27,000 ($990.00 approximately). Full payment is expected on the day that the couple bring the relevant statutory declaration to our offices for further processing.

The above information is for Australian citizens, please contact Wedding Destinations for further information on other nationalities marrying in Thailand. Please note that this information can change at anytime it is to be used as a guide only. You will be advised of any changes to this information at time of booking.

Money

The Thai Baht (THB) is the nations unit of currency and at the moment has a great exchange rate with the Australian dollar. Conversion rates average around THB .22 for every $1 Aussie dollar

Tea: THB15 ($1.00)

Beer: THB50 ($2.00)

Massage: THB300 ($11)

Bottle of water: THB7 ($1)

DVD's / CD's: THB40 ($2)

Seafood dinner x 2: THB1000 ($37)

How to get there

Flying to Bangkok from Australia’s East Coast is about 9 hours. Thai Airways is Thailand’s national carrier and operates direct to Bangkok daily from most Australian cities.

Do I need documents?

Every international departure from Australia will require you to have a current Australian passport with a minimum of 6 months validity remaining from your return date into Australia. If you are traveling on a foreign passport, a visa may be required so you will need to contact Wedding Destinations to check your status.